50 Point Conversion Optimization Checklist

An optimized website can convert ten times as many users as a non-conversions optimized site. The amount of information on conversion optimization is vast, a quick Google search reveals over 578 million results on “Conversion Optimization.”

With so much information on the subject available, it can be difficult to identify where to start or what factors to evaluate. To simplify the process, we’ve put together seven overarching areas with fifty individual checkpoints that you can use to maximize the conversions on your website.

Let’s go over them.

1. Site Appears Professional and Trustworthy

It’s probably no surprise users are reluctant to purchase or provide their personal information to a site that doesn’t appear trustworthy. Perceived trust is a critical factor in conversion, the more trust you instill, the more conversions you’ll see. When evaluating this criteria, consider the following:

Is the design familiar and consistent with modern design conventions?

Does the design follow usability conventions in common contexts? e.g. Does the check-out process feel familiar?

While this organization is legitimate, the design comes off unprofessional and raises feelings of doubt. Given they are providing juice to children in a school setting the site could generate more leads and sales with a design that has a baseline level of design quality.

2. Design Minimizes Perceived Risk

Psychologically most of our actions are guided by thousand year old “software.” Our brain continuously and subconsciously evaluates if we’re in a fight or flight situation. Thousands of years ago, survival required readiness to escape or fight at any moment. Our mind applies this same survival lens to modern life– even though there is no lion attempting to make us it’s dinner.

We evaluate websites under the same lens. Does this site feel risky or safe? For conversions, this means identifying and minimizing all possible perceived risks.

Common examples include:

Clearly label and explain your privacy policy or terms and conditions, especially at places where users will be giving up their personal information

Clearly label and described your return policy and/or guarantee

Clear description of the process to set expectations

Clear indications of legitimacy, e.g. “This sounds like a real company I can trust.”

3. Site Minimizes Cognitive Load

Cognitive load is a fancy way of saying “effort from thinking.” Mental effort requires energy much like physical effort. Subconsciously we’re programmed to conserve energy, when the world was more dangerous you couldn’t afford to waste energy on non-essential tasks.

Because we’re always attempting to conserve energy, the more energy required to convert the less likely it is to happen. In short, if it gets too hard the user will leave instead of follow through.

The LearnDash checkout page is simple and minimal. There is only one choice, what method of payment? Bonus points for reducing perceived risk by stating their money back guarantee and secure check out.

4. Design and Content are Persuasive

Every element on the page should help convince the user you have what they’re looking for. Now, this doesn’t mean you should go “used car salesman,” rather use psychology to persuade a curious user into someone who desires your solution.

The exact language and imagery will different based on context, but the common considerations include:

All steps of the conversion funnel are addressed (Attention, interest, desire and action.)

Headlines and copy incorporate emotional power words

Copy meets customers needs and describes a solution to their problem

Pain points are identified and addressed to reduce buying resistance

Features and benefits are clearly communicated

Copy and design evoke desired emotional response

Copy conveys a sense of urgency

Unbounce does a great job with persuasive copy that speaks to the prospects pain points and describes the benefits of the solution they offer.

5. Design Facilitates Easy Decision Making

While we already discussed minimizing cogitative load, it’s worth addressing the decision making separately. Conversions happen when someone makes a decision – be it a decision to call you, make a purchase, join an e-mail list or even change their mind.

Making a decision is hard. Even small decisions use mental energy. The more decisions you make, the less endurance you have to make additional decisions (see ego depletion and cognitive dissonance theory.) To maximize conversions you must minimize decision making effort.

Intelligent recommendations are made to eliminate unnecessary decisions

Conversion points are effortlessly accessible at all times

Facilitates fast decision making

The National Wildlife Federation pre-selects a donation amount so if you’re unsure what to donate the decision has been made for you.

6. Site Builds Authority and Credibility

We look at trust in two different layers. Your site needs to have a baseline level of professionalism to prevent the users from bouncing (addressed above.) Surpassing this threshold doesn’t mean your job is done. Just because your site has a minimum level of professionalism doesn’t mean users will part with personal information or money.

Maximizing conversions requires additional layers of trust, credibility and authority. Here are the ways you can do so:

Niel Patel has a simple, too the point and obvious call to action that compels you to act.

Summary

Conversion optimization is both art and science. Even knowing what elements to consider, the best solution for your business, target audience and context might not be obvious.

This checklist is intended as a jumping off point, identifying what needs improvement. You still need to identify specific changes and test for performance gains.

Expect some changes to produce a dramatic impact, others will be negligible. If you adopt an iterative process where you’re continually learning from current behavior and testing new approaches there is potential to increase conversions two or even ten fold.